1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to techniques for data collection, management, and generation and, more particularly, to a system for efficiently generating customized data documents, including but not limited to the generation of data documents by sequential decomposition in accordance with a demand-driven methodology.
2. Description of the Related Art
Distributors and purchasers of various kinds of products, including computers and computer peripherals, must address a compelling need to distribute and/or acquire data, usually in the form of data sheets or similar documents, that characterize, and thereby inform acquisitions of, the respective products. Preparation and publication of comprehensive and reliable data sheets is a daunting task. In fact, third parties have realized that profitable enterprises may be based on the collection, arrangement and distribution of information regarding various products or services, including those distributed by themselves, as well as by others.
In this regard, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350, 270, entitled System and Method for Data Compilation, filed Jul. 6, 1999 and assigned to the assignee of this application (hereby incorporated by this reference in its entirety for all purposes), is directed to a system and method for compiling data that defines components to be configured into a personal computer system. With respect to such components, a predetermined array of attributes is established to characterize particular components. In accordance with that system, at least two operators, or agents, independently acquire values for the attributes from a global source of relevant data, which may reside on the World Wide Web (Web). In one embodiment, the agents are provided with a finite set of predetermined values, or ranges of values, that is deemed to include a value that is accurate for the attribute under consideration. The agents then respectively select values for the attribute. The selection is based on the acquired values and is evaluated with respect to the predetermined values. The respective values are error checked and then compared for equality. If the values selected by the agents are equal, a value for the attribute is written into an attribute database. If the values are not equal, the discrepancy is resolved empirically. A compilation of data defining the component is then extracted from the attribute database. In order to enhance accuracy, the global source of relevant data is regularly analyzed in order to, for example, identify updated attribute values. The above-identified patent application is hereby incorporated, in entirety and for all purposes, by reference into this patent application.
The system described above enables an efficient, comprehensive and accurate Compilation of raw data that characterizes, for example, components of a personal computer system. However, as may be expected, users of such data documents often have idiosyncratic requirements of preferences regarding the content and method of delivery of the data documents. For example, clients of data documents can be expected to have disparate needs for technical specifications, marketing text, performance reviews and the like. In addition, enterprises that distribute data documents for consideration understandably desire to control the information that is made available to their clients in order that the enterprise may correlate the payment made for data documents to the value of the information received by the client.
Historically, responding to the demand for personalized versions of data documents has necessitated the development of customized software code to transform a baseline document into the form requested by a client. It may be readily appreciated that such an approach is ponderous as well as expensive. In addition, the generation of numerous iterations of the same baseline document is susceptible to the creation and propagation of error.
Accordingly, what is desired is a data management and generation system that enables rapid, efficient, reliable and cost-effective generation of customized data documents. The system should provide the data proprietor with substantial control of the manner in which customized data documents are created and distributed. In addition, the system should minimize both the amount of software that must be developed in order to create customized documents, as well as the amount of computer processing that is required to satisfy client requests.